#26 Alabama Crimson Tide Preview
Brock Murphy |Aug 03,2008
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 #26 Alabama Crimson Tide Preview
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
HEAD COACH- NICK SABAN
2007 Record- 7-6 (4-4 SEC)
2007 REVIEW
The Nick Saban era got off to a successful 3-0 start, including a shoot-out win over Arkansas. Though overmatched, the Tide pushed Georgia to overtime and then traveled to Jacksonville to tangle with Bobby Bowden's Seminoles. A seven-point loss to FSU was followed by a road win at Ole Miss and an unexpectedly easy win over Tennessee (41-17). Like that, the Tide was 6-2 and the faithful's willingness to consider 2007 a simple honeymoon season dissolved into the hopeful but unrealistic expectation of excellence. So it was that the pain was extra deep when the wheels finally fell off, with Alabama losing out on the final four games of the regular season, including a road loss at Mississippi State (the second consecutive loss to Croom's Bulldogs), an embarrassing home loss to Louisiana-Monroe and the sixth consecutive loss to arch-rival, Auburn.
TEAM MVP
MLB Rolando McClain (6-4, 249; So.). A new offense with an efficient quarterback and no proven playmakers means focus could come to bear on the defense where McClain is the only linebacker to return as a starter this season. A freshman All-American in 2007, McClain picked up 75 tackles, four broken-up passes and two interceptions and knows he must improve not only his on-field performance but his overall leadership. Only if McClain is successful can the defense reach its performance peak.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Barring injury or an extraordinary surprise, John Parker Wilson (6-2, 211; Sr.) will start for his third-consecutive season. Having completed 56% of the passes he has thrown in the 31 games in which he has played, Wilson has posted career totals of 5,651 passing yards, 37 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
Last season, he completed 55% of his throws for 2,846 yards, 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. It is an interesting commentary on Alabama's quarterback legacy (e.g., Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Richard Todd, etc.) to note that Wilson's season total last season was the best in school history and he stands a mere 751 yards away from becoming the Capstone's all-time leading passer.
Wilson is a dependable leader but not the kind of player who tends to take the team on his shoulders and lead them to an unexpected win. The new system installed by former Fresno State coordinator, Jim McElwain, will not require Wilson to carry a team and win games by himself. Instead, it should allow Wilson to stay within himself, make early reads and slowly work towards scores through extended drives and analysis of what the defense is "giving up" on each given snap.
In Alabama's spring game, Wilson's performance produced a mixed-bag. Even he surely expected to complete more than half of his passes (he finished 17 of 34). However, his 13.82 yards-per-completion average (he finished with 235 yards and two scores) hinted at a more aggressive stretch to the passing attack than existed last year (11.16 ypc in 2007).
Greg McElroy (6-2, 200; So.) may be Wilson's backup this season. He was the only player besides Wilson to receive snaps in 2007 (2 games; 8-9, 73 yards, 1 TD). However, McElroy clearly struggled at times this spring completing less than a third of his 24 passes for a paltry 51 yards and four interceptions in the second spring scrimmage.
One player who could push for snaps this fall is incoming-freshman, Star Jackson (6-3, 195) from Lake Worth, Florida. A U.S. Army All-American, Jackson is a pro-style quarterback whom Rivals.com ranked as the nation's 2nd-best scrambler. Depending upon his ability to absorb McElwain's system, Jackson could be the big-play quarterback the team has been looking for.
Running Back
The top four rushers from 2007 return this season and Terry Grant (5-9, 190; So.) and Glen Coffee (6-1, 198; Jr.) topped the list (891 and 545 yards, respectively). Grant showed his potential as a swing-receiver this spring by taking one pass 75-yards for a score in the spring game. However, he has struggled with injuries and is not as talented a blocker as Coffee.
Junior Roy Upchurch (6-1, 201; Jr.) picked up 237 yards last season but spent some time in Saban's doghouse early in the spring. He seemed to get the message, though, and blew-up in the team's second spring scrimmage with scoring runs of 16 and 46 yards.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
D.J. Hall and Matt Caddell led Alabama last season with a combined 107 catches for 1,580 yards and 8 scores (Hall had 1,005 yards by himself). Unfortunately, they both graduated, leaving Mike McCoy (6-2, 205; Jr.) the leading returning receiver with 28 catches (and one touchdown) in 2007.
Saban's storied 2007 recruiting class was certainly calculated to inject the receiving corps with speed and athleticism. Foley, Alabama's Julio Jones (6-4, 210) headlines the group (he was listed as the nation's top prep-receiver by more than one recruiting source) but other freshman could certainly find themselves on Bryant-Denny Field this season. The most likely other than Jones are Melvin Ray (6-3, 195), whom Rivals.com considered the nation's 18th-best receiver last year or B.J. Scott (6-0, 195), who played prep ball near Jones in Prichard, Alabama, and whom ESPN identified last year as the nation's top "athlete."
Not that the Crimson Tide is completely without experienced alternatives to the incoming freshman. Nikita Stover (6-0, 203; Sr.), Will Oakley (6-1, 196; Sr.) are expected to contribute this year though injuries and other factors have restricted their career playing time in prior seasons. Stover had only 10 catches last season but he turned two of them into touchdowns and averaged 13.1 yards per reception. Oakley has battled injuries from day-one but he started five games in 2006 when the graduated Keith Brown was injured and produced 223 yards out of 18 catches.
Given the relative inexperience at receiver, it is likely that Alabama's trio of talented tight-ends will find themselves active figures in 2008 game plans. Nick Walker (6-5, 248; Sr.) is considered the better receiver and produced two scores and 204 yards out of his 23 receptions in 2007. Travis McCall (6-2, 260; Sr.) has the sturdier build though he is far from a non-factor in the passing game, having hauled-in 17 catches (for 172 yards) in the past three seasons. Sophomore Preston Dial (6-3, 245) played in 10 games as a redshirt-freshman last year and provides clear depth.
There is an outside chance that the NCAA could grant the appeal of Colin Peek for immediate eligibility following his transfer this off-season from Georgia Tech. The appeal was based on the grounds that the new Tech offense did not even include a tight-end but, so far, the argument has fallen on deaf ears. The NCAA denied Peek's eligibility on July 23rd and it is not likely to dilute its transfer rule with systems-based exceptions that could lead to slippery slop erosion of the entire rule.
Offensive Line
Left tackle Andre Smith (6-4, 340; Jr.) is the all-star, having been named to nearly every preseason All-American list. A prep-star, he has continued to work hard and was named the SEC's top offensive lineman in 2007. He has started every game of his career at Alabama.
Three other starters from last year return to the line, including center, Antoine Caldwell (6-3, 292; Sr.), who was named a team captain by his teammates last season and who will start for his fourth-consecutive season in 2008. Marlon Davis (6-4, 290; Sr.) and Mike Johnson (6-6, 298; Jr.) each started every game in 2007. Davis and Johnson are expected to hold down the left and right guard spots, respectively, though they have each started games at different positions in their careers.
Tyler Pharr (6-6, 281; So.) and Drew Davis (6-7, 276; Jr.) battled for the open right tackle spot this spring. Davis enters the fall with a slight lead but the war will certainly continue when two-a-days start and it will be joined by incoming freshman, and Parade All-American, Tyler Love (6-7, 290).
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Wallace Gilberry is the lone starter lost to graduation but he takes with him the school's career-mark for tackles for a loss (38.5). Ezekial Knight, an end/linebacker hybrid showed flashes of greatness but looks to have played his last down due to medical reasons.
The team plays predominately out of a 3-man front and the most dependable and productive tackle last year was Lorenzo Washington (6-4, 283; Jr.). Washington not only soaked up blockers but produced three sacks and two quarterback hurries last season. He will no doubt line up next to Brandon Deaderick (6-4, 286; Jr.) who finished with 22 tackles and 2 sacks last year after starting only seven games at end.
Bobby Greenwood (6-5, 278; Sr.) split some starts last season with Deaderick and, given the losses at end, will probably bracket start opposite of Deaderick in 2008. Greenwood has 6.5 career sacks and had his work-ethic endorsed this spring when he won the team award for commitment to excellence.
Josh Chapman (6-1, 300; So.) will rotate snaps with Washington this season. He played in only three games last year but came alive in the spring.
Linebackers
Inexperience abounds following the graduations of Darren Mustin, Keith Saunders and the aforementioned Knight. The summer arrest and dismissal of former-tailback Jimmy Johns robbed an already-decimated unit of yet another promising player and, just as important, one who absorbed countless valuable snaps with the starting unit this spring.
Prince Hall played as a freshman and would be valuable even given his limited experience. However, Hall has struggled with off-the-field issues and was suspended "indefinitely" by Saban at the end of February. He did not participate in spring practices and is not listed in Alabama's media guide.
Rolando McClain (6-2, 248; So.) is the lone-returning starter and, while he received numerous freshman accolades in 2007, he is but a sophomore. The nature of his position and the state of the linebacking corps, in general, propelled him to the status of team MVP in this preview. It is really a function of the critical importance of his performance in 2008. If McClain can protect the middle of the defense and mentor what will be a very green group of fellow-linebackers early in the season, the team has a chance to win some important games and progress with substantial momentum. If he fails, so may the team.
Baron Huber (6-3, 249; Jr.) switched from fullback to linebacker since the former position does not really exist in the new offensive system. Huber played linebacker in high school and quickly rose to second-string inside linebacker this spring.
Former Hargrave-transfer, Brandon Fanney (6-4, 257; Jr.) could see his first start this fall at outside linebacker. He took numerous spring snaps at the "jack" position, which is the hybrid position that allows the team to seamlessly drop into a four-man front on some snaps.
Given the barren state of the linebacking corps, it seems a given that depth will be provided in 2008 by at least one of the incoming-freshmen.
Every one of the incoming trio of linebackers (Jerrell Harris, Don'ta Hightower and Courtney Upshaw) earned elite status this past recruiting year. Harris seems the most likely to make the impact, though, as some recruiting sources had him ranked as high as the nation's #3 linebacker.
Secondary
Though two of last year's starters are gone (cornerback Simeon Castille and free-safety Marcus Carter), the backfield will certainly benefit from the return of senior strong-safety Rashad Johnson (6-0, 187). Johnson was All-SEC in 2007 after leading the team in tackles (94), picking off six passes and breaking up eight more.
Kareem Jackson (6-1, 190; So.) made the SEC all-freshman team last year after starting a dozen games from which he produced 66 tackles and three interceptions.
Former baseball-pitcher Justin Woodall (6-2, 220; Jr.) from Oxford, Mississippi may end up starting opposite of Johnson at free-safety. However, incoming freshman Mark Barron (6-2, 215) arrives to extraordinary praise and could push Woodall for snaps this fall.
Javier Arenas (5-9, 193; Jr.) has electrified fans on special teams as the primary kick and punt returner but he gladly supplemented those roles with that of starting cornerback most of the spring. Clearly talented, his height will be a dynamic to watch against some of the league's taller receivers in 2008.
Arenas' classmate, Marquis Johnson (5-11, 192), took a lot of snaps as the nickleback this spring and should see plenty of field in 2008.
Special Teams
From kicker to snapper to holder to returner, the Tide loses nobody of interest from 2007. P.J. Fitzgerald will handle punts for the third-consecutive season while kicker Leigh Tiffen returns after setting the school record with 111 kicking points last season. While a nifty kick-returner, Arenas was the nation's 7th-best punt returner, a feat highlighted by his 61-yard touchdown against LSU.
2008 Outlook
Last year's 75th-ranked offense steams towards 2008 with a new system that is probably a better fit for quarterback John Parker Wilson. The problem, of course, is that Alabama's most lethal vertical threats (D.J. Hall and Keith Brown) are gone. Still, Parker will quickly surpass the school's all-time passing mark behind a very experienced and talented line. If balance can be attained through a tailback group that has yet to explode, Alabama could become a substantial offense next year. The most likely problem for the Tide in 2008 will be on defense, where a thin defensive line will try to absorb blockers for one of the nation's most inexperienced linebacking corps. Adding the fact that the backfield will break in a new free-safety and cornerback and there are clearly multiple vulnerable spots in the entire unit. As detailed and effective as Saban is with defensive game plans and player-development, there is little reason to believe that the staff can plug every gaping hole Alabama's defense will bring to the field; particularly, early in the season. The opening game against Clemson is not an automatic loss given the Tigers' own green linebacking corps. Road trips to Georgia, Tennessee and LSU seem imminent losses but the home schedule is full of games that are winnable or, at the very least, not sure losses. Auburn comes to Tuscaloosa to close out the season and a loss would leave Alabama with a very distasteful seven-game losing streak in the series. Look for bowl-eligibility but the destination probably won't be very sexy.
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